Car-haulage system for movable car-dumpers.



A. F. CASE.

CAR HAULAGE SYSTEM FQR MOVABLE DAR DUMPERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I9, 2919.

1 22,538. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

A. F, CASE.

CARHAULAGE SYSTEM FOR MOVABLE CAR DUMPERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, I919.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR F. CASE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THEWELLMAN-SEAVER-MORGAN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

CAR-HAULAGE SYSTEM FOR MOVABLE CAR-DUMPERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application filed March 19, 1919. Serial No. 283,632.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. CASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Haulage Systems forMovable Car-Dumpers, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX-act description.

This invention relates to car dumpers of the type which are movablysupported on a track so that they may be moved from point to point tovary the points of discharge of material dumped from the cars.

In movable dumpers of this type, the dumper itself is adapted to travelalong a suitable track of wide gage, spaced on both sides of the railsof a track along'which are moved the cars to be dumped. The frame ortower of the dumper has inclined approach and take-oft tracks whichextend with suitable inclination from opposite ends of the dumper downto the rails of the car track, the loaded cars being brought up one ofthese inclined tracks, and the empty cars run down the other inclinedtrack. As the dumper is moved along the rails of what may be termed thedumper track, the inclined tracks of the approach and take-oil slideover the rails of the car tracks so that wherever the dumper ispositioned, the cars may be brought up onto the cradle from one end ofthe dumper, and the empty cars may be run down to the same track fromthe other end of the dumper.

In operating a dumper of this kind, a locomotive is usually employed toposition the cars one at a time, on the cradle of the dumper and to pushthe empty cars off the cradle, it being customary for the locomotive topush a string of loaded cars up toward the dumper, and when the foremostcar is properly positioned thereon, this car is uncoupled and allowed tostand on the cradle while the locomotive and the remainder of the stringof loaded cars are backed away from the dumper. This operation isrepeated each time a loaded car is positioned on the dumper, and as itrequires a crew of men, obviously considerable expense is involved inthe handling of the cars.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide for use inconnection with a movable dumper. a car haulage system involving ahaulage car such as is commonly employed with stationary dumpers, withthe parts so constructed and arranged that the haulage system is at alltimes available for use, irrespective of the position to which thedumper is moved along its line or range of movement.

More specifically considered, the invention aims to reduce the cost ofhandling the cars to be dumped, and to increase the speed of operation.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain novelcombinations and arrangements of parts which will be described in thespecification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein I have shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a view partly inelevation and partly in section, showing my improved haulage systemapplied to a movable dumper, this view showing only a portion of thesystem or trackways for the dumper and cars; Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is a plan view looking down on the inclined approachtrack, the same being on an enlarged scale and showing also a portion ofthe movable haulage car track; Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation ofthe same; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the upper part of theinclined approach and a portion of the dumper to which it is attached;Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the dumper tracks, cartrack, and pit or trough which is between the rails of the car track andaccommodates the haulage car runway or the supporting structure for thetrack of the haulage car, which structure is movable along the troughwith the dumper; Figs. 7 and S are sectional views along the lines 77and 8-8 respectively of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a sectional view substantiallyalong the line 9-9 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction indicated by thearrows; and Fig. 10 is a sectional view substantially along the line1010 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents conventionally a movablecar dumper of usual construction having wheeled trucks 11 which aredesigned to run along the rails 12 (see particularly Fig. 6) of aso-called dumper track, so that the dumper can be positioned whereverdesired along the track 12 to discharge the material from the cars atdifferent points. The car dumper includes a suitable frame or tower, anda cradle which may be tilted or first elevated and then tilted to turnthe car sidewise and dump the material therefrom. Bumpers of this typeareso well-known t iat further description and detail drawings arebelieved to be unnecessary.

' The empty and loaded cars are run on a track whose rails are shown at13, this track being on a slight inclination, preferably about 1% forsome distance in ad ance of and throughout the length of travel of thedumper and of the parts of the haulage sys tem associated therewith. Asis clearly shown in Fig. 6, the rack 13 extends tween the rails of thedumper track 12, the two rails of the duniper track for each side of thedumper paralleling the rails of the car track 13 for a distancedepending upon the distance or length of travel that the dumper is tohave.

Extending downward from one end of the dumpor is an inclined approach 11- for the loaded cars, and extending from the other end of the dumperis an inclined take-oil 15 for the empty cars, both the approach and thetake-off consisting of wedge-shaped or tapered built-up structures asindicated in Figs. 4:,15 and 10, having wheels 16, which run upon therails of the car track 13 (see a, 5 and 10), and each being connected tothe end of the dumper in any suitable manner such as by links 1'7, oneof which is shown in Fig. 5, or otherwise. The approach and take-off areprovided respectively with inclined approach rails M and inclinedtake-elf rails 15, these rails having the same gage as the car track 13,and at their lower or free ends, 2'. 6., at the base of the incline, rting on the rails of the track 13 in much the same manner that theinclined rails of the approach and take-oft of the ordinary movabledinnper extend from the rails of the car track up to the dumper. Attheir upper ends these inclined rails 14 and. 15 of theapproacn andtake-off are in line with, and form continuations of the rails on thetower and platen of the dumper when the cradle is in normal position, orin position to receive a car.

Coming now to the features directly involving my invention, 1 providebet-ween the rails of the car track 13, a long pit 18, which extends aconsiderable distance beyond the approach side of the Cllllll er trackand lengthwise of the latter, substantially to, and if desired, beyondthe opposite end of the dumper track. At the bottom of this pit are therails 19 of a narrow gage track, on which travels what may be termed amovable haulage car runway 20 composed of a series of units 20% 20 20and 20 which are connected together as by means of links 21, (seeparticularly-the left hand end of Fig. 4;) these runway units being inthe form of carriages or trucks built up from structural material andprovided with wheels 22 which run on the rails of the track 19 at thebottom of the pit. It might be lere stated that the rails of the track19 are parallel to, and a uniform distance below the rails of the uppercar track 13 (which are positioned just beyond the side walls of the pitas shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8) except at one end of the pit there is anupwardly inclined section of the track 19 ex tending from the bottom ofthe pit upwardly to the upper surface supporting the car track 18, sothat the haulage car runway 20 can be run out of the pit if desired.This is illustrated in 1. This movable haulage car runway 20, composedof the connected units 20, 20 0" and 20 is connected to the approach 1%,so that when the car dumper is moved along the dumper tracks in eitherdirection, the approach lat, take-off 15 and haulage car runway 20 movewith it. The forward section 20 of the runway is connected to theapproach (which in turn is connected to the dumper as before stated) byany suitable means such as links 23, the section 20 having its forwardend, that is to say, its end toward the dumper, i11- clined upwardly asshown most clearly in Fig. l, and extending inwardly for a distancebetween the inclined rails 1 1 of the approach 14.

The movable haulage car runway 20 is provided with a track 24:, for ahaulage car 25, or so-called mule, shown in Figs. 1, and 8, which track2%- is like the runway track 19, a narrow track with a age considerablysmaller than the y '6 or the car track The haulage car track 2% has alower or depressed portion carried by the section 20 of the haulage carrunway 20, this portion including a lower horizontal portion 24- whichis asuliicient distance below the car track that when the haulage car ison this poi. ion, a loaded car may be run over the haulage car in themanner indicated in Fig. 1. From the lower horizontal portion 24, thehaulage car track 24 inclines upwardly, as shown at 943, tosubstantially the level of the car track 18, this portion, which may bedesignated by the reference character 24, being carried by the runwaysections 20". 20 and 20. On the forward runway section 20", next to thedumper, the haulage car track 72d inclines upwardly in conformity withth inclination of the rail 14 of. the approach, this portion beingdesignated 24. Beyond the forward section 20 0f the runway, the haulagecar track is continued up the approach to the damper by a section 241this latter sec tion being carried by the approach. It might bementioned that there are joints in the haulage car track where thejoints occur in the runway, '21. 6. between the sections 20,

and 20 20 and 20, 20 and 20 and between the section 20 and the approach,so that sutlicient flexibility is afforded to allow the various sectionsof the runway to con form to any slight irregularities which may existin the track upon which the runway travels.

The haulage car 25 maybe similar in con struction to the haulage carsfrequently utilized with stationary dumpers, and it may be operated inmuch the same fashion as the latter, the prime difference between theold construction and the present construction being that with thestationary dumpers the haulage car travels on a wholly stationary track,Whereas in my improved constructionconstituting the subject matter ofthis invention, the haulage car travels over the track of a movablyrunway which may be moved with the dumper. Preferably the haulage car ismoved toward the dumper by a haulage rope 26, and is pulled back to thefar end of the runway, i. e. to the lower or depressed portion of therunway by a tail rope 27. The haulage rope passes over a series ofsheaves 28 suitably positioned near the top of the runway, and the tailrope around suitable sheaves 29 near the bottom of the runway, and atthe dumper they pass around customary drums (carried by the dumper)which need not be shown as their operation is well understood by thoseskilled in the dumper art. At the lower end of the section 24 of therunway, a suitable stop or abutment 30 is provided, which will includespring bumpers to stop the movement of the haulage car in the directionaway from the dumper.

In operation, when the haulage car Clown at the far end of the runway,e. e. in the pit, as indicated in Fig. 1, a loaded car is allowed todriftdown the slight incline of the car track 13, and it will come to astop when it reache the approach track 14 that is to say, it will stop ashort distance beyond the inclined portion 243 of the haulage car track,so that as soon as the loaded car is thus positioned, the haulage car ispulled up out of the pit up to the rear of the loaded car, and thenpulls the loaded car up onto the dumper, the loaded car pushing theempty car already on the cradle of the dumper down the take-oft 15. Assoon as the loaded car is positioned on the cradle of the dumper, thehaulage car is pulled back along the runway in the far end thereof untilit again occupies the position in the pit, as shown in Fig. 1.Thereupon, and while the loaded car is beinghandled in the dumper, thenext loaded car is allowed to drift down past the haulage car, and itwill in turn be pulled up onto the dumper. This will be repeated asrapidly as the cars can be handled in the dumper.

When it is desired to change the point of delivery of the material, thedumper will. be moved along the damper tracks 12, and when it is thusmoved, the runway for the haulage car, as well as the approach 14: andtake-off 15 move with the dumper without in any way afl'ecting theoperation of the haulage system.

Thus it will be seen that I have eli'ected a very important improvementin movable dumpers since I am enabled to eliminate the services ofseveral men constituting the crew which was required heretofore to bringthe loaded cars up onto the cradle of the dumper. Additionally the speedof operation can be somewhat increased over that which obtains when alocomotive used for handling the loaded cars. Still further my improvedsystem is safer for the o erators than the prior haulage systemrequiring the use of a locomotive.

I believe it, broadly new with me to provide a movable runway for thehaulage car, which r nway can be moved about desirably though notnecessarily with the dumper. Obviously, therefore, I am not to beconfined to the exact arrangement and details shown, as numerous changesmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my inventionin its broad aspects.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a movable car dumper, a haulage system for movingloaded cars up onto the dumper, comprising a haulage car for shiftingthe loaded cars, and a movable runway for the haulage car.

2. In combination with a movable car dumper adapted to be moved along atrack, a car track for loaded cars, a haulage system for moving the carsfrom said car track onto the dumper, and a movable runway for thehaulage car connected to the dumper so as to move therewith.

S. In combination with a movable car dumper and a track along which thedumper is adapted to be moved, of a haulage system comprising a haulagecar adapted to shift loaded cars onto the dumper, a movable runwayhaving a track for the haulage car, and a stationary track on which saidrunway is adapted to be moved.

4:. In combination with a movable car dumper and a track along which thedumper the cars comprising a haulage car for moving the cars onto thedumper, and a movable runway for the haulage car having a track for thehaulage car with a portion extending downward below said car track.

6. In combination, a movable car dumper, a dumper track along which thedumper may be moved, a car track for cars to be handled by the dumper,said car tracl-I extending along the dumper track, a haulage systemcomprising a haulage car, a movable runway for the haulage car, a pitextending beneath and lengthwise of the car track, a movable runway forthe haulage car, a track in the pit along which said runway is adaptedto be moved, said runway having a track for the haulage car locatedbetween the rails of the car track and comprising a portion extendingdownward beneath said car track.

7. In combination with a movable car dumper, a car track for loadedcars, a pit extending lengthwise of the track between the rails of thelatter, a runway track at the bottom of the pit, a haulage car runwaymovable along said runway track and connected to the dumper, said runwayhaving a haulage car track leading to the dumper and having a portion atsubstantially the level of the car track, and another portion extendingdownward below the latter.

8. In combination with a movable car dumper and a track along which thedumper may be moved, a car track for loaded cars, the dumper having aninclined approach supported on the car track and having inclined railsleading from the latter to one end of the dumper, a haulage system formoving the cars from the car track up the approach onto the dumpercomprising a haulage car, a movable runway for the haulage car and astationary track for said runway, said runway having rails for thehaulage car located between the rails of the car track, the haulage cartrack at the end of the runway remote from the dumper being below thelevel of the car track and extending therefrom up to substantially thelevel of the car track, said approach having between the inclined carrails referred to, inclined haulage car rails forming continuations ofthe haulage car rails carried by the runway.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

ARTHUR F. CASE.

